Kenya-Sudan trade row deepens as Khartoum denies tea exports

President William Ruto in Laikipia west during the beginning of his tour of the Mt. Kenya region on April 1,2025. [Kipsang Joseph] Kenya's diplomatic spat with Sudan has escalated after Khartoum dismissed President William Ruto's claim that the country is still importing Kenyan tea despite an official trade ban. The blatant denial now seems to put President Ruto on the spot, coming just days after he assured farmers that exports to Sudan were ongoing, a claim the Sudanese ruling junta now flatly rejects. "No Kenyan products, including Kenyan tea, have been imported into Sudan," Sudan's military government stated in response to Ruto's assertion that trade remained intact. Speaking during a joint media interview on Monday evening ahead of his Mount Kenya tour, Ruto downplayed concerns over the ban, arguing that demand for Kenyan tea remained strong and that Sudan could not sustain itself without the product. "By the way, we are selling tea to Sudan, even after they said they are not buying our tea. The market itself has forced them. We sell tea today to Sudan, so there is no issue about selling tea, and that is why we are making money in the tea sector," Ruto said. However, Sudan's Ministry of Trade and Supply, which issued a decree on March 11 suspending all Kenyan imports, said the ban is still in place. The move followed tensions over Kenya's role in hosting a political meeting involving the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a paramilitary group locked in a violent conflict with the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). "The import of all products coming from the State of Kenya through all ports, crossings, airports, and outlets is suspended, effective from this date until further notice," Acting Minister Omar Ahmed Mohamed Ali said, instructing all relevant authorities to enforce the ban. The European Union and the African Union have criticized Kenya for providing a platform to the RSF, warning that the group's push for a parallel administration threatens Sudan's unity. "Plans for a parallel 'government' by the Rapid Support Forces risk partitioning the country and jeopardising the democratic aspirations of the Sudanese people for an inclusive process leading to civilian rule," the EU said in a statement. Kenya defended its actions, with Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi stating that Nairobi has historically facilitated Sudanese peace talks. "We note that this is not the first time groups in Sudan have sought solutions to their crisis by leveraging neighbouring countries' good offices," Mudavadi said. "Indeed, in January 2024, parties and stakeholders to the Sudanese conflict met in a neighboring country to chart a way forward on inclusive dialogue and return to civilian rule." This comes as Sudan's military has intensified its offensive against the RSF, recapturing key strongholds in Khartoum, including the Tiba al-Hassanab camp and Khartoum International Airport. SAF leader General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan declared victory in the capital. "Khartoum is free," Burhan said after government forces regained control of the presidential palace. The Sudanese military's recent advances, confirmed by state media, have dealt a significant blow to the RSF, reversing many of its territorial gains. However, the paramilitary group claims it has secured new territory in Gezira State and North Darfur. The war has killed over 20,000 people and displaced more than 14 million, with some estimates placing the death toll as high as 130,000. The United Nations has described the conflict as one of the world's largest humanitarian crises. Despite mounting international pressure, RSF leaders have announced plans to establish a "Government of Peace and Unity" in the areas they still control, raising fears of deepening political divisions and prolonging the violence. Ruto continues to insist that Sudan's import ban has not affected Kenya's economy. "There is no issue about selling tea," he said. However, Sudanese officials maintain that no Kenyan tea is being imported, turning the dispute into another test of Kenya's diplomatic standing in the region. On March 11, 2025, Sudan's Ministry of Trade and Supply reiterated its position: "This decision has been fully implemented, and since then, no Kenyan products, including Kenyan tea, have been imported into Sudan." Traders have urged the government to negotiate a one-month window to clear tea worth Sh1.3 billion that was destined for Sudan before the ban was imposed. The East Africa Tea Trade Association (EATTA), which runs the Mombasa Tea Auction, reported that 27 tonnes of tea are currently stranded at sea, in warehouses, and at the port of Sudan awaiting clearance. EATTA Chairman Arthur Sewe told the Senate Committee on Trade and Industrialisation that at least 30 days are needed to clear all 207 containers of tea destined for Sudan. "The Sudan ban is a challenge; we appeal to the government for a one-month export window to clear tea in the warehouses and those that have reached the port of Sudan," Sewe said. The Senate committee, chaired by Kwale Senator Issa Juma, pledged to present the traders' petition to the Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs to push for a resolution. "We want the minister of foreign affairs to appear before the Senate and explain the steps taken to resolve this deadlock," said Juma. Nominated Senator Esther Okenyuri warned that the ban would affect farmers' incomes, urging the government to negotiate a way out. "Sudan declining our tea is a big issue. We need both governments to sit down and resolve this impasse," she said. Tea Buyers Association Chairman Peter Kimanga emphasized the need for value addition to increase profitability, noting that Kenya loses out by selling tea in bulk. "Branding is expensive in Kenya, making our tea less competitive globally. As long as we sell in bulk, our market will shrink. We need value addition," Kimanga said, adding that many investors opt to package in Europe due to Kenya's high taxation policies. "Pakistan exports Kenyan tea to Europe and America, while Tanzania exempts VAT on locally manufactured tea. Meanwhile, Kenya's VAT policies are hurting local value addition," Kimanga noted. Kenyan tea traders continue to feel the pinch as diplomatic tensions between Kenya and Sudan remain unresolved, with no clear indication of when or if the trade ban will be lifted. Sudan said it remains firmly committed to upholding the ban as part of its sovereign economic and diplomatic considerations. "The Embassy emphasizes that any claims suggesting otherwise are unfounded and inaccurate," the embassy statement said, adding, "This decision has been implemented, and since then, no Kenyan products including Kenyan tea have been imported into South Sudan."

Kenya-Sudan trade row deepens as Khartoum denies tea exports

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